Romance At The Camp
by MixedUpGuy
Summary: Robin has become stressed with work in the camp, and a trio of his comrades has finally decided to pull him away and save him from himself. Plus, the wheels of fate begin to turn between him and a certain Ylissian princess. Timeline description in the story. Enjoy. Will gain lemons towards the later chapters.
1. Restless Duty

_This story takes place after all the children have been recruited except Morgan and around the time the party begins their war with Walhart and the Valmese. I will be highlighting my favorite pairings of my first playthrough and have fun telling a story. Enjoy!_

* * *

Late at night, crickets chirp and the wind whistles by as a large camp begins to convene for the night. This camp is the camp of the Shepherds, protectors of the land of Ylisse. Fires burn brightly as circles begin forming around different ones. Friends, families and lovers sit side by side as they discuss the day's battle against the Risen, which have been terrorizing the local towns and villages. Currently in a standstill in the war against the country of Valm the Shepherds now have the time to protect the people of their country from the hordes of undead that have littered the lands.

However, while all the other Shepherds begin having their dinners and relaxing with their fellow soldiers, one remains inside the main tent at the center of the camp. In front of him is a large map and figurines that model both enemies and allies alike. Rigorous strategies and situations run through his mind as he moves each piece one by one, seeing how victory can arrive.

Robin, the great tactician of the Shepherds was still hard at work preparing battle plans for the future battles he was sure that he and his fellow Shepherds would be forced to confront. He had now been doing this same scenario for the last two hours, not noticing the candles he had lit were now running on the liquid wax the flame had reduced it to.

The strategist rubbed his eyes, which were now showing signs of being bloodshot. Reports were coming from all over Ylisse about more and more Risen arriving to the east. More than he had initially expected to arrive. With his forces already stretched so thing in the north near the Feroxi border, he needed to think of a way to send at least some kind of force that would at least stand a chance against the Risen in the east. So involved in his dilemma, Robin failed to hear to sound of three sets of footsteps enter the large tent.

"Man Robin, don't tell me you're still working on the giant chess board there!" said the loud booming voice of the one and only Vaike. Robin turned his head to see the party of Stahl and Gaius following closely behind, all with a concerned look on their face. Robin smiled and ran his hair through his short, brown spiked hair.

"Hey there guys. I guess I lost track of time after the meeting. How long has it been since everyone left?"

It was obvious for the three who entered that there was stress in the eyes of their good friend. Here he was, almost blind by the strain he put on his eyes. Almost anemic due to his lack of keeping himself fed and hydrated by doing all these plans. Worst of all, they could see he was near exhaustion as his knees buckled under him from the lack of sleep and the stress he was putting on his mind. The three quickly walked over and picked their friend off of the table he was leaning on for support.

"Look, what you need is some sleep there Robin. There isn't any point in having you less than your best out there on the battlefield." Gaius told him as he grabbed a shoulder of Robin's while Stahl wrapped his armored hand around the other shoulder.

"Trust me here Robin, even a middle-of-the-pack warrior like myself is no good without some rest and a meal...or maybe three pending on what I'm going to do during the day." Stahl said as he garnered a chuckle from the other three still in the tent. The weight of Robin was nearly nonexistent to the two carrying him, as Vaike led the way opening the flap and making sure they would avoid the gaze of any who might see Robin in his less than stellar appearance. This wasn't the first night that Robin had pushed himself to nearly fainting in the main hub of the camp. He had been doing this for almost two weeks. Reading strategy texts, counting the war chest and running strategy simulations as many times as he could.

Gaius, Stahl and Vaike had all begun noticing this two days ago as they began noticing a lack of their friend's presence at the many fires around camp. Even Chrom had mentioned the lack of Robin's presence the other day. The lack of Robin's jokes and interesting commentary to those in the camp left a hole in the Shepherds that was hard to keep unnoticed. Problem was, it was even harder to address.

* * *

As the three finally got to Robin's tent, which was one of the smaller in the camp despite his ranking amongst the Shepherds, they sat him down in his humble abode. None of the others understood why Robin lived in such a small tent considering that he was the second most important member of the group besides Chrom. Some felt it was just his way of sacrificing for the betterment of the whole army. Others heard that Virion had bested him in a strategy duel that won him the larger tent that would have belonged to Robin. Either way, no one really knew why but Robin never mentioned much about it either.

Stahl and Gaius knelt next to their friend as they began seeing his eyes fluttering back and forth, as if battling the forces of sleep from taking him. Gaius gave a quick shake to Robin's shoulder which caused the man's head to shoot up. Robin saw the thief and the knight smiling at him as Vaike entered the tent with a bowl with some of the leftover stew that had been made that night. Robin could smell the broth and it loosened the grip the stress he had built had on his mind. Vaike handed the bowl to Stahl who then gave it to Robin. The tired man sitting on his sleeping bag looked inside the bowl and saw noodles and bits of lamb swimming in the yellowish fog that the broth had become after the cooking. Robin looked back at his three friends and smiled as he began spooning out as much as he could.

Gaius smiled as he took a seat on the ground, which was then followed by the other two. "You really should be watching yourself there Bubbles. I don't think I have ever seen you this bad." Gaius began explaining to his friend, who froze. Robin slowly set the bowl on the ground and let out a disappointed sigh, regret filling his bloodshot eyes.

"I know Gaius, I know. I should be taking better care of myself. But I have to get our preparations ready. So much rides on me preparing us for not only the Valmese campaign, but there is also the Risen pandemic stretching across all of Ylisse..." The sound of a fist being clenched through fabric could be heard now, as Stahl began looking towards the shaking hand of his friend. So much pressure was put on Robin, and it seemed like the stress was finally getting to him. "...I can't afford to waste time. Because our enemies won't either."

A large, near thunder clap-like sound resonated in the tent as the always noticable Vaike slammed his hand into the floor. "Don't you let those dumb corpses get your head outta sorts there Robin. Teach here has those things covered, no sweat!" The large blonde warrior bellowed out as Stahl and Gaius' faces began showing signs of bewilderment. So late at night, yet here was Vaike acting like it was high noon with his energy levels. They both sighed, knowing the only explanation for this was that it was Vaike himself.

"And I don't want to hear anymore talk from you about this whole Valmese campaign thing Robin! They aren't doing a damn thing right now since this war reached the cease fire period! We got those guys on the ropes, and soon enough that Walhart guy is gonna get exactly what Gangrel had coming to him!" Vaike began preaching as he pushed off the ground and stood high above the others. Robin now was in shock at the energy shown by Vaike, but also at the determination in the eyes of the man. "The only way though that that's gonna happen is if you're in top shape to be making decisions. Right now bud, you ain't even close to the Robin I knew back when we were spying on girls in the springs! So you had better start taking care of yourself and living a little bit huh!"

Robin heard everything that Vaike had said and looked back down at his bowl. Then...laughter. Laughter from the man who could barely stand on his own a minute ago. Vaike's dominating stance and beaming smile suddenly disappeared to show a confused and bewildered stance. Gaius and Stahl sat still, unsure if Robin's mind had finally snapped completely this time. Robin then picked up his head and gave Vaike a quick thumbs up.

"Alright then Vaike! You're right. I need to start watching what I'm doing and making sure I am taking better care of myself." He said as smiles filled all four men in the small tent. Robin then quickly picked up his bowl of broth and began drinking it like a bowl of milk left over from oats. The other three watched as the thick juice ran along the cheeks of their tactician. As a final sigh escaped his mouth, Robin threw the bowl on the ground to show no trace of the meal Vaike had brought in. The four began laughing and felt the previous worry they all had shared leave the opened flap of the tent.

Robin looked up at the three who had been so concerned about him and gave each of them a respected nod of the head. "Thank you, all three of you. Without you all coming in when you did, I might have passed out back in the main tent by now. So thanks again you guys."

Stahl was smiling from ear to ear now, picking himself off the ground with a quick grunt. "Don't even mention it Robin. It's the least we could do for all the times you have helped us out on the battlefield. And just in daily life as well to be honest. It's about time someone looked after you for a change." The bed hair ridden Shepherd said as he looked over at Gaius, who was standing up himself.

"Bubbles, just make sure you aren't doing too much to exert yourself like we said. Last thing we need is to go into battle with Virion or somebody else calling the shots." The orange haired thief said as a shudder came over the two warriors next to him. Gaius then smiled, moving the lollipop stick that was still in his mouth as usual. "We'll expect to see you in high spirits in the morning there. Don't disappoint will ya?" He asked as Robin shot him a smile in return.

With that, the three left the tent and began walking back to the fire they had set up for themselves. The three had begun hanging out a lot more since they all began realizing Robin's lack of being with the group. Each of the men decided that if anyone was going to try and help their over-exerting friend it would the the three of them. They had all had close bonding moments with Robin, and were going to be damned if they let him just self destruct on them. As they finally reached their fire, each took a seat on a log Vaike had personally chopped into three pieces for each of them.

"Good thing you had the idea to check the main tent Gaius, otherwise Robin probably would have just passed out back there." Stahl said as he let out a worried moan. Rubbing the back of his neck, the knight was giving off a nervous energy that was contagious. Suddenly Vaike and Gaius both began thinking about how they had earlier reservations to try and help Robin back to his tent. Now here they were, doing what they said they'd do, but not sure what they would do now going forward.

Vaike threw some more twigs into the fire, seeing it beginning to die down. Vaike let out a yawn and nodded his head towards Stahl. "Well we did what we had to do. Couldn't leave Robin like that in that room right?" He said with a forced smile on his face as he stared back at the fire. Even Vaike was concerned for Robin. How did they know he wasn't just going to go back and push himself too hard again?

Suddenly the thief with the sweet tooth let out a chuckle. Stahl and Vaike looked over to Gaius to see him pull out the now bare lollipop stick and toss it in the flame. "Who says we're done helping Robin out? I say we keep an eye on the big guy and make sure he doesn't do it again. Plus, we should make sure he is in top shape on the battlefield. I know we all have our families to look out after, but if it wasn't for Robin we wouldn't have them to begin with." Gaius said as he pulled out another sugar infused lollipop and threw it into his gaping jaw. He let out a smile to the other two at the fire, and received nods in return.

"I completely agree! Even though I won't be getting as many helpings at meals now, I'll make sure that Robin gets the right amount of food every day. He probably won't eat second breakfast, but at least one will do for now." Stahl said as his messy hair moved with the rapid nods the knight was giving off. Vaike then pounded on his chest, in a showing of pride.

"I'll make sure to keep Robin on his toes for sure! Ain't nobody in this whole army that's as good as the Vaike when it comes to that." The well toned soldier said as he let out a hearty laugh.

Gaius rolled his eyes and chuckled. "Look Biceps, I said watch out for him, not kill the poor guy. You saw how weak he was coming home." Gaius said with a point towards the loud and always flamboyant Shepherd. "Just make sure that the guy isn't getting too much over his head."

Vaike laughed and nodded back. Stahl let a toothy grin show as he looked back at Gaius. The thief and apparently self promoted captain of this trio stood up and let out a groan. It was getting late as the moon's light was strong enough to keep the whole camp lit on it's own as it stared down at the Shepherds and their camp.

"Well fellas, I better go and get ready for bed. Princess is probably waiting for me back home. Plus I'm sure Owain is getting smothered by his mom at this point." Gaius said with a grimace on his face thinking about his son being choked out by his mother's tight embraces. Lissa had much more strength than she thought she did.

Stahl laughed and picked himself up off of the log he was sitting on. "That's right, I forgot you promised to bail out Owain when him and his mother were alone like that. Luckily for me, Laurent and Miriel get together pretty well. Give them a potential experiment to work and they'll be busy for weeks on end." Stahl said as he let out a contented sigh. "I really gotta try to get involved in their little experiments more though. Me and Laurent do a lot of sword and horseback training, but not a whole lot else. Besides, I miss me and Miriel's experiments from back in the day."

Vaike let out a long grunt and slapped Stahl right in his back. Even through the thick armor, Stahl felt a welt beginning to form as he looked at the practical body builder. "What? You mean your dates back in the day? Haha! Those were some better days weren't they?" Vaike said, referencing the early "experiments" Miriel and Stahl would go through back in the day, testing just how Stahl could stay so ordinary for so long. Through it though, Stahl learned that others reacted to his determination by working harder, which gave him a much greater view of himself.

Gaius quickly raised an eyebrow as he stepped up to Vaike and pressed a finger into the chest of the warrior. "Oh, and wasn't your honeymoon with crazy witch lady any better? Nothing but hexes back and forth right?" Gaius joked as Stahl quickly let out a chuckle and the smile left Vaike's face. Indeed he had fallen for Tharja a while back but she still had a thing for curses on her family. Granted they had stopped now since Vaike stole some of the hexing tools for his daughter, Noire's, sake. Still, Tharja was a danger at any moment to begin cursing again.

The three eventually decided that it was time to stop poking fun and start heading back to their respective families' homes in the camp. Vaike threw a bucket of water onto the fire they had made, turning it into a large plume of smoke in the aftermath.

* * *

Back in the main tent, one Shepherd that had yet to resign herself to her tent was Lucina. The daughter of Chrom walked in, still seeing candles lit and wondering why that was the case. The meeting her father and Robin shared had ended earlier in the night, as she saw her father retire to his tent with her mother Sumia. Candles still flickering on what little wax was left, and figurines still laid out on top of a map made the future queen of Ylisse curious.

"Robin never leaves these figures on the map like this. He typically puts them away before he leaves." Lucina noted as she looked at the finely crafted statues of the many different units at the Shepherds disposal. Everything from the definition of a shield to the last feather on a pegasus was shown in each wooden figure. Lucina picked one up that represented Robin himself, making her crack a smile seeing it. While Robin had put in much work into recreating his allies faces, he simply had his figure have a hood over his head. Lucina smiled, seeing the lack of self indulgence in their tactician made her proud to call him a friend.

Lucina took one last look around the room and again grew worried at the state the tent was left in. "I should go and check on Robin. Perhaps he fell ill or forgot to clean up. Either way, this is not like him." She said to herself quietly as she began walking out of the tent to Robin's personal quarters.

After passing by a few comrades, including the trio of Vaike, Gaius and Stahl as they turned out their fire, the princess finally found herself staring directly at Robin's tent. Seeing no light she figured a quick peek would be fine, just to see if Robin was there at all. As she pushed the flap at the entrance to the side, she quickly caught her words in her throat. Instead of asking a question, a calm look took over her face.

Robin laid on his makeshift bed, his covers around his waist instead of covering him fully. It was clear that he was out cold, his breathing slow and quiet. Lucina smiled at the sight before her and quietly stepped inside. She made sure to look at the ground for any potential hazards. The only thing in her path was a bowl that had been cleaned out, but the smell of broth was still emanating from it. Lucina gently pulled up the cover and placed it at Robin's chest. The last thing Lucina wanted was for her friend to catch a cold.

Smoothing out the blanket she caught herself watching Robin's eyes. They were fluttering in his sleep, his eyelashes zipping back and forth like dragonflies near a lake. Lucina couldn't help but giggle at the comparison, but her giggle was quickly stymied when the man in the bed let out a groan. He shifted slightly, moving his arm and grazing Lucina's thigh ever so gently. The girl froze, silently damning herself for making the noise and for stepping in the tent in the first place. However, Robin quickly settled back into sleep much to the relief of the girl.

With that, Lucina left the tent quickly, but quietly. The last thing she needed was for Robin to see her standing over him in his tent while he was sleeping. The rumors that would spread would be uncontrollable to be certain. Who wouldn't pass about the scandal of the king's daughter sneaking into the master tactician's tent late at night. Lucina let out a heavy and nervous sigh that seemed to release all air that the young but strong woman had ever breathed in her entire life. After regaining her composure, Lucina looked back at the main tent and the small light that was still present.

The blue haired princess looked back at Robin's tent and smiled once more, her nerves finally released. "Since Robin is indisposed at the moment, I suppose I'll clean up for him. No sense in waking him up just to put away some simple figurines." Lucina told herself as she began walking back towards the main hub of the Ylissian force.

Back in Robin's tent, the tactician moved one last time before settling into his sleep. He let out one small mumble while he did so. "...Beautiful...smell..."


	2. Fixing Up the Place

_Gotta say I was really flattered by all the positive feedback I got for the last chapter. Definitely gave me a lot of confidence to continue this project. So for those of you who commented, followed, or favorited this story I thank you deeply. No real emotional parts yet, and again I'm kinda having a bit of fun with the story considering the "ceasefire" with the Valmese thing. Enjoy and I hope to have as much positive feedback with this chapter as the first._

* * *

Sunlight breaks through the fabric of the small tent that housed the sleeping second in command of the Shepherds. Rustling in his sleeping bag Robin finally opened his eyes and slowly began sitting up. His muscles ached and his eyes felt like they had been raked at by some rabid raccoon. This was his own doing though, pushing himself to near exhaustion. Luckily for him the songs of the local birds wasn't as earsplitting as they used to be in the previous few weeks.

Finally putting on proper clothing Robin took his first steps out into the open. The sun had been up for almost two hours from what he could tell. That was surprising considering that no one came to wake him up. Normally Fredrick or some other Shepherd would roll him out of the tent and get him ready for the day. Now he was allowed to sleep until mid-day? Something seemed off.

Walking through camp, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Owain was exaggerating his exploits to everyone within ear shot. At this point it almost became the Shepherds' personal story time whenever Owain would do so. It kept morale high and eased tension amongst the ranks, so Chrom had allowed it to continue. Robin wasn't looking to listen in, especially not this early in the day, but it seemed like a good crowd had surrounded him today.

Further into the camp others were simply moving supplies. Lon'qu and Cordelia shared their typical morning of sorting. It had become a habit for them since their engagement a few months back, but the two seemed to get things done much faster when working on the same task. Whether that was because of just pure efficiency or Lon'qu's still irrational fear of women making him work faster was still up for debate but it always made Robin smile seeing the stoic swordsman still carry that nervous look on his face.

Robin eventually decided to walk towards the main tent that he had been pulled out of from the previous night. He assumed the reason he hadn't seen the three men from the previous night yet were simple explanations. Stahl was probably busy fixing himself another meal for his mid-day breakfast. Vaike was probably sleeping in as he usually does. All the sleep he got was the only explanation for his boisterous attitude. And Gaius was probably stuck hanging around Owain's story session since Lissa loved listening to her boy's tales.

* * *

Stepping into the central hub of the Shepherd's base he looked around at the mess he left behind. So many wasted candles that had become puddles of wax. The piles of books he had left on the floor and not back on the shelves. The unorganized figurines on the shelves where the books go. It was then that Robin shot a confused look at the whole room, realizing something.

"Wait. I didn't turn out any of the candles." Robin said pointing out the many cooled wax stumps that had been left in the candlesticks. He quickly walked over to the book piles in the corner of the table. "I also left a few of these book open on the table." Robin said as he began looking over the titles he recognized from the previous night. Finally he shot a glance over at the figures that had been put up. "And I know for a fact I didn't put these away. I left them all on the table." He said as the tactician began scratching the back of his head, trying to think of an explanation. In his inner turmoil and confusion, Robin failed to hear the tent flap move behind him.

"I tried to fix up the place after you headed off to bed. I guess I didn't do a good enough job for you not to notice the clean up." A strong and somewhat hurt female voice said behind Robin. The brown haired Shepherd turned to see the princess of Ylisse standing directly behind him, Lucina. Quickly Robin began realizing what he had said and tried to think of a way to better the situation.

The tactician began waving his arms frantically, trying to wave off the feeling of disappointment Lucina had in her voice. "No no! Really Lucina you did fine. I just didn't remember cleaning up in here so I wasn't sure if I did this or you or maybe some of the others in camp. Don't feel bad about the cleanup, it's better than the way I left it." He explained to Lucina, hoping that his speech was good enough to make her feel better.

The warrior princess smiled at Robin and began walking towards one of the piles of books in the corner of the table and began removing the top books and setting them to the side. "If you'd prefer we can start fixing the mess we both made." She said with a joking smile that garnered a laugh from Robin, who was finally beginning to relax his face from worry to relief.

Robin walked over to a adjacent pile of texts near the one Lucina was standing in front of. He began grabbing books and separating them. "Alright then Lucina, we'll start with sorting out the books. Strategy texts go in this pile, and whatever books are more for recreational purposes will go here." He said with a laugh as he saw a copy of _A Simpleton's Guide to Pegasus Care_. Sumia must have been doing a re-read during the meeting last night.

Lucina gave a chuckle as well, thinking the same thought about her mother. Lucina began sorting the books with Robin. In between books she looked up at her friend and trusted tactician. She noticed his unkempt hair and sunken cheeks. The tired eyes staring at the book titles also caught her attention. Worried, she froze and eventually her stares caught the attention of the man standing a few steps away.

Robin raised his eyebrow curiously at the blue haired warrior. "Something wrong Lucina? You look like you've seen a ghost or something." He asked as he continued moving books into the pile.

Lucina quickly reached out and grabbed his hand to stop him. Robin stared at the small fingers wrapping around his hand and looked up at a Lucina with worry in her eyes. "How long have you been like this Robin? You look as though you haven't been taking care of yourself at all. You look haggard and distraught." She told him, each description digging into Robin's psyche. Not because they hurt, but because he heard them before and he knew they were true.

Hanging his head the man let out a sigh. "You aren't the only person to tell me that recently. I'm surprised though most peopled haven't brought it up though," Robin said as he rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. "Probably because of me always disappearing late at night and going to bed well after everyone in camp. But don't worry, I'm going to start watching out for myself now." He said with a sincere smile on his face. It did not spread to Lucina's face however.

She slowly gripped Robin's hand now with both of her's, causing a quick jolt to travel up the man's spine. Her hands were so soft on his, as he neglected to put on his gloves and hers were also missing. The girl's fingers wrapped around his entire hand with the strength of a vice, showing great concern. Yet with that, Robin never felt uncomfortable or in pain. It was as if she was holding his hand like a mother would hold her infant child. Firmly so as not to drop it, yet with the care that only an angel could provide.

"I don't want you pushing yourself too hard Robin," Lucina suddenly said, removing Robin from his train of thought. Looking back up to her that concerned look had yet to leave. Though he could not see into her eyes as she was preoccupied staring at his hand, or perhaps on the ground. Either way, the tactician could tell she was avoiding eye contact. For what reason he wasn't sure, but kept himself from asking as Lucina continued. "I know I ask a lot of you. To keep my father safe, prevent my future from happening, and to make sure all of us return to camp safely. But I don't want you focusing so much on those tasks that you forget to care for yourself once in a while. We need you in top form if we expect to win this war."

Keeping her stare to Robin's hand, she let out a sigh. It was true what she said in her mind. She placed so much responsibility on the man in front of her that guilt was the only thing she could think of after seeing him in the state he was in. Here was a man, when she first met him, that was strong and well. His physique rivaled that of her father, and his stature amongst the Shepherds also rivaled Chrom's as well. Now here he was, looking like a beggar in some slum wearing armor. Her pity was suddenly broken when a warm and rough feeling came across her hands this time.

Lucina snapped back to reality as she this time saw that her hands had been engulfed by another's. She looked up and saw Robin shooting her a strong smile this time, not one that looked forced. "Don't talk like that Lucina, you make yourself sound like the one who caused all this chaos. Never forget that I chose to join the Sheperds and protect your father, even before you arrived," Robin told her with his smile never fading, and now beginning to spread towards Lucina. "And as a tactician for this army I take on all those tasks you said knowing just how tough it's going to be. I actually look forward to it most of the time. If I'm not challenging myself, then obviously I am doing something wrong." The man said as he pulled away Lucina's hands from his. Looking down, the girl saw that he was holding both of them separately.

"I promise you that nothing will ever bring me down. Too much is riding on me and the rest of us. If one falls, so do the others. I'll take better care of myself now, but I'll always be at the ready whenever you, Chrom or any of the other Shepherds call for me." Robin exclaimed with a proud voice. Lucina smiled and nodded back, pleased to hear the promises made from her friend.

They stood like this for almost twenty seconds, holding hands and reveling in the aftermath of their discussion before they realized their location. Holding hands. Staring at one another. Alone. In the main tent. In the center of the camp. Quickly, but not without blushes showing up on their faces, they quickly removed the contact they had been sharing and went back to sorting the area. Silence filled the room between them that mimicked the inside of a church during prayer to Naga.

As the two began coming to the end of their cleaning project, the last piece of work left were the figurines scattered among the bookshelves. For Robin, it was a jumbled mess with no thought going into the sorting process at all with these figures. He would never say it out loud though so he wouldn't offend Lucina. Last thing he needed was an angry or, worse yet, depressed warrior princess with the majority of her emotion thrown at him. From conversations he had with all those who were involved with women, it was not a good situation to be put in. Women never forget, as Vaike so elegantly put it.

As the final figures were moved, Lucina found her eyes drawing to the wooden version of Robin. She giggled again like the night before as she saw the hood completely cover his face. Standing still for a while, admiring the details like a small child holding a porcelain doll, Robin finally noticed that the girl had stopped moving. Seeing what she was holding he chuckled slightly which got Lucina to turn her head.

"I don't think that's one of my best works but it works well for what it's for," Robin joked as he picked up a figure that resembled Chrom, down to the last detail in Falchion itself. "Now this one was definitely a difficult one. Could never get that cape right." He said as he pointed out the shoulder cloth that Chrom had attached to his shoulder pads. Lucina looked at it from a far for a few seconds, but went right back to staring at Robin's figure. The tactician was starting to have a blush creep up onto his face, as he quickly turned and began moving more of the figures.

Lucina used her fingers to feel the groves of the wood. It was strong, but finely sanded to the point where there was not even saw dust coming off of them. This was work Lucina had only seen master carpenters do with the designs and the overall attention to detail. "You made all these pieces, right Robin?" The girl asked looking back at the man in question. Still embarrassed at the sudden interest in his work, Robin quickly nodded and continued moving figurines. Lucina continued her absorption of the piece.

Looking at others still remaining on the shelf however, Lucina saw that each face for the others among the Shepherds was very well defined. Even Brady's violin string scar was seen on his little wooden duplicate, that is before Robin quickly snatched it away. Shocked at the sudden hand that zoomed by her vision, she looked at a man running as if his clothes were ablaze. Lucina smiled and was able to time Robin's next trip back to the shelf. She stepped in front of him quickly, so fast that Robin nearly crashed through the girl had he not stopped on his heels. Quickly gaining his balance back, he suddenly had a much more present blush on his face.

Lucina quickly presented Robin's work of himself to the blushing man, which was going unnoticed by the princess. "Why is it that you put so much detail into everyone else's figure but neglected to even give yourself a face? Do you like to pretend you're as mysterious as Gerome when no one is looking?" She asked with a playful smile. She didn't joke around much, and most jokes sailed right over her head. Yet this seemed as good a time as ever to try and break out of her serious mold. She needed to help Robin lighten the load on his mind, and what better way than to share a joke.

The brown-haired Shepherd began rubbing his neck and laughed. "No it has nothing to do with that. I just figured everyone else would like theirs to be super detailed is all," Robin said as he took the figure out of the woman's hands and began looking at it himself. It was true, under the hood of the small wooden version of himself was a blank canvas. Nothing was there, not even a carving mark. "Though it would be difficult to get my own face on it. I find it difficult to make a face you have to look at a mirror to create." Robin joked as he and Lucina shared a quick laugh.

As the two finished the final duty of their clean up, the two let out a sigh of relief. Earlier in the morning the main tent was a disheveled mess and everything was in the wrong place. Now it looked like it always did after strategy meetings. Robin and Lucina looked at one another and gave a quick nod as the took seats in a couple of empty chairs and began relaxing after their long work. When Robin entered the tent the sun was well above the mountains in the distance. Now the blazing light was falling towards the other side of the sky and the sounds of action filled the air outside. Lucina let out a sigh as she stretched in her chair while Robin let out a yawn of his own.

Eventually Robin leaned forward in his chair and looked over to Lucina. "By the way, what got you to come over here that early in the first place Lucina? You typically don't come to the main tent until your father calls for a meeting." He asked as Lucina began picking up a blush of her own.

Truth be told, Lucina was not planning on coming to the tent at all until she saw Robin. She was moving things with Cordelia and Lon'qu, even though the swordsman was still deathly afraid of women. Cordelia explained that it was just with other women besides herself and Severa, their daughter. The red haired beauty explained that it was a worry off her shoulders since she knew that as long as Lon'qu was afraid of women, she never had to think if Lon'qu was cheating. The two women laughed about that fact as Lucina saw Robin walking about the camp.

Once she saw Robin, she decided to try and follow him. Considering that he left the tent in the state he did and his disheveled appearance in his bed the previous night had her somewhat concerned. Seeing him going to the main tent, she followed slowly and quietly behind him. Lucina was hoping to see what exactly was going on with the tactician that would cause his unusual behavior from the previous night and to see how he actually looked health wise. Needless to say she got her answers.

Problem was now that Robin was asking why she showed up. She couldn't honestly say she followed him. It would not only be a huge embarrassment, but it might cause stress between the two and ruin what she had been able to accomplish a while back when they discussed the figures. Lucina threw her hair over her shoulder and tried to hide a nervous and blushed filled face.

"I was just thinking of checking in there in case my father and you were discussing anything important. I hadn't seen him all day so I thought he would have been with you." She lied to Robin with as calm a voice as she could. Keeping away from looking towards him, she prayed he would buy the lie.

Robin was naturally a little confused over Lucina's answer. He and Chrom never had meetings during the morning at all. They were all usually at night. And Lucina's tent was right next to her father's, and they both woke up usually around the same time. Nothing really added up, but Robin didn't feel like going into a full on interrogation for such a simple matter.

The tactician nodded and stood up from his seat. "Well as you can tell me and Chrom aren't meeting right now. I just came in to check the tent and see what kind of a mess I had left it in. Lucky for me though you showed up and gave me the help I needed," Robin told her as she looked up with a sigh of relief trapped in her throat. Lucina stood up from her seat as well as she smiled at her friend. "I really did appreciate the help Lucina." Robin finished as he shot her a smile right back.

The daughter of Chrom nodded her head and began looking at the tent's entrance. It was getting late and Lucina still had other things to do around the camp. "Well Robin I am afraid I have to be going. I promised my sister Cynthia that I would help her with her training today. If I don't, she'll never let me hear the end of it." Lucina joked as Robin nodded back. Without saying goodbye, the young woman gracefully walked by and something caught Robin's attention. A smell. Something about it seemed familiar. He couldn't quite put his finger on it and it swam in his mind. So much so that he completely tuned out Lucina's wave and the sound of the tent flap moving. Stuck in his thought, a much larger and more imposing presence brought him out of his daze.

* * *

The large knight Frederick had walked in a few minutes after Lucina had left and said Robin's name once in his usual calm but deep tone. The mere rumble of the knight's voice brought Robin back to the current time as he looked up at a smiling Frederick. The two had become much closer after trying to teach the large warrior how to handle meat. He was still working on the bear, but other meats were now a thing of the past.

"Hello there Robin. I trust you are doing well." The armor clad Shepherd said to the much smaller by comparison tactician. Robin smiled and nodded back to the large man.

"Yes Frederick. I'm doing fine, how about yourself?"

"Just fine thank you. I came to deliver a message that Lord Chrom has received just recently. It relates to the Risen that were out east and near the Feroxi border." Frederick said with his smile disappearing and showing the usual stern look that Robin was used to seeing from him. Hearing that there was news about the Risen made the smaller Shepherd nervous as he crossed his arms with a nervous sigh. Preparing for the worst, Robin went from concerned to curious when he saw Frederick give a small smile.

"Reports are saying that the Risen threat to the east was a hoax. Turns out they were just bandits trying to play off the fear of the Risen in the small villages in that part of the country. And the Risen to the north have been taken care of. So needless to say the threat level has dropped considerably Robin." The tall and proud warrior said with a gleam of happiness in his voice.

Robin dropped into his chair again with a huge weight taken off his shoulders. All that planning he had done the previous night was worth nothing in the end. The man wasn't sure if he should be relieved or agitated that he worked so hard for no reason at all. Either way, a laugh escaped his throat as he looked towards Frederick. "That's great news friend! Now we can simply relax and prepare for the Valmese campaign. What a relief." The tired and now exhausted Shepherd exclaimed as Frederick nodded.

"Yes indeed. And not a moment too soon. With the Harvest Moon Festival coming within the next few days Chrom will need to make some appearances in Ylisstol for the public an-" Frederick continued until he suddenly heard a quick cut in from Robin.

Waving his hands up, Robin finally got Frederick to stop for a moment. "Wait wait wait. What's this about a Festival? I've never heard of it until now. Is it a big event or something?" Robin asked as a shocked look came from the much more seasoned veteran in the room.

"I still forget that you have little memory, but the Harvest Moon Festival should be common knowledge even to those outside of Yllise. It is our most popular of celebrations," Frederick began explaining in his usual 'matter-of-fact' tone he liked to use. "For seven straight nights, the moon will be shown in all it's glory for reasons unknown. Seven nights of the full moon signifies the celebration of when the first seeds were sown in the land of Yllise, and we honor that moment by holding a seven day and seven night event in the capitol city." Frederick explained as he took a seat in the empty chair Lucina had left behind.

"During the day, bazaars and other shops sell some of the finest goods for some of the lowest prices you can find, in respect to the land giving us as much as it did for how little we had sown. At night the greatest in Yllisean entertainment shows itself. Plays, musicians, dancers and many other spectacles are present as a sign of how far the people have come," Frederick continued to explain, almost losing himself in his description of the events. His eyes looked out as if seeing all these things right there in the tent.

Robin wasn't much different. The way that Frederick had described everything it all sounded so magical. And now with the lack of war going on, it was entirely possible for the whole group to go out and enjoy these festivities.

"Again, m'lord Chrom would have to make an appearance at some point. He is the current king after all. Lissa as well. The people do love to see the royal family mingle amongst their peers." The knight finally finished discussing the event. The way he did it, Robin would swear he was the one holding the event himself.

"Well we should definitely start packing up. We don't want to miss any of that stuff! I know I certainly don't." Robin said with an excited tone as he shot up from his chair. Frederick smiled back at the newly impassioned tactician and stood up himself.

He patted Robin on the shoulder and began leaving the tent. Without turning back he suddenly stated, "We already are. Most people are packing their belongings up as we speak and getting ready for the march back to Yllistol. I just came to inform you of the Risen problem and our departure." The knight said as he turned around at the exit.

Robin went wide-eyed and began heading to the exit as well. While he was thinking of what to start packing, he passed through the tent flap and stopped suddenly. That smell again. It caught in his nose and his senses went mad again. He paused and began noticing that the smell was partially recognizable. It was a flower scent he remembered. That flower...it was... "A daisy!" Robin exclaimed out loud. Suddenly remembering where he was he turned behind him to see Frederick's eyebrow raised and his arms behind his back. "Frederick, do you know if we are near a daisy patch by chance?" Robin asked with a deep look of curiosity in his eyes.

The knight went from being confused at the sudden outburst to thinking about the question. Granted it was an odd question to be sure, but Frederick was never one to avoid a question. "Well I have been on patrol many a time and have looked out to our nearby surroundings. I don't recall seeing any flowers at all to be honest. Why do you ask?" Frederick questioned as he was still unsure of why the question was even asked.

"Oh, really. Hmm, that's interesting," Robin said as he let out a sigh of disappointment. Now this whole thing was going to bug him until he found out what was going on. "Oh well it doesn't matter I guess. And don't worry Frederick, forget I even asked it. Now I gotta go pack my things. See you later Frederick!" Robin yelled out as he began running towards his tent, nearly tripping over Ricken and Nowi along the way, who were sitting in the grass playing a game of duck-duck-goose, with Nah being it. Yelling back an apology, Robin continued on his journey to begin preparing for a week of bliss that he so desperately needed.

The knight that Robin left behind stood perfectly still in awe of the scene before him. Frederick watched the tactician for the Shepherds nearly run over the young married couple of Ricken and Nowi with a sigh. "Methinks that boy has something swimming in his head. But oh well, I must prepare lord Chrom's things for the trip back to the capitol," Frederick told himself as a smile crept up on his face. "Plus I have to make sure I bring enough food for both Minervas. Can't leave my wife and child's pets hungry." He said as he began walking back towards his side of the camp, passing all the others who were preparing for the journey as well. Everyone was surely looking forward to the time off.


	3. Rocky Road To Ylisstol

_Now with finals over, it is time to get back to writing this story. I greatly appreciate all the continuous support coming from you guys and girls, so I feel it's only right to give you guys what you were asking for. On with the show as they say in show business._

* * *

Three days. Three days on the road and the agitation was beginning to show among ranks of the Shepherds. One soldier in particular was looking a little more ragged than he usually did.

Stahl's bed head was worse than usual. Sitting at the controls of one of the many wagons used by the Ylissean army to transport the convoys. Swords, spears and other weapons typically sat in them. The one Stahl was driving? Clothing many of the women had prepared to bring to the parties. Nearly half the wagon itself was filled with Maribelle's very own wardrobe.

A loud yawn left the throat of Stahl as he began rubbing his eyes with a free hand. Suddenly the quiet and still early morning was disrupted by a loud and boisterous voice. None other than Vaike, who had been walking with an axe draped over his shoulder as usual, caught up to Stahl's wagon.

"Hey there! How are you holding up there Stahl?" Vaike asked with a smile on his face as Stahl returned the gesture, albeit very halfheartedly.

"Just tired Vaike. I would really like to take a longer nap but this whole wagon thing is taking away my sleeping schedule. Naga knows I need a good amount of it," Stahl said as the two shared a laugh. "So what about you? Tharja and Noire nearby?"

The big and muscular warrior shrugged as he took a look behind him. "Well I know Tharja is by the tome wagon. She put a lot of her hexing stuff in there so she wants to make sure the stuff stays safe I guess. Noire though is somewhere up ahead. I get the feeling she is walking with Owain or something." Vaike said as he threw his hand forward and waved it around aimlessly. The two of those kids had been hanging out a lot lately and Vaike was making sure to take notice.

Stahl laughed as he went back to checking the horses, making sure the wagon wasn't leaning one way or the other on the trail. "Who knows Vaike, you and Gaius might end up being in-laws before too long. I think that would be fun." The knight said as a yawn again escaped his mouth and out into the open and thick morning air. Clouds had been gathering and it appeared some rain would hit the capital for the first day of the festival, which many prayed would pass over quickly.

Vaike looked as Stahl let out a loud yawn and gave an agitated look. "You've been driving this damn wagon for the last three days Stahl. Why not get that sneaky little thief Gaius to take the reins for a while?" Yelled Vaike as he suddenly heard movement from inside the wagon itself. Looking back he saw a head appear from out of the flaps.

"Because that sneaky thief is the one making sure all the girls' perfumes don't go crashing and making a horrible smell even worse!" An agitated Gaius proclaimed as he let his frustration show on his face. His lollipop stick had been nearly chewed through, something only seen when the man was extremely mad or hurt. Vaike realized this must have been just mad, considering perfume wasn't known to be a deadly weapon.

Vaike then let out a chuckle towards the sugar filled fool in the wagon. "That's a great look for you there Gaius! Just your head popping in and out like that. The Vaike approves!" The warrior laughed as Stahl tried to stymie a laugh he caught but to no avail.

Gaius gave a frustrated look to both of the men surrounding him. "Yeah laugh it up jerks. I probably have the worst job in this entire caravan! I shouldn't be doing this crap! Give this to one of the girls or something." The man complained as he headed back into the wagon. Bottles upon bottles were stacked in crates that were shaking with the movement of the wagon. Luckily for him Stahl seemed to be a pretty steady driver.

The smell in the small vehicle was unbearable. So many scents mixed into one it was becoming nauseating. No amount of washing was gonna get these smells out of his clothes. Luckily for him Lissa had prepared him an outfit so he wouldn't have to worry about that problem. However, considering the fact he had yet to see said outfit in person, his mind had been wandering. What if it was some kind of royal garb that would make him look ridiculous? Gaius shuddered at the though.

Suddenly Gaius heard another conversation start up outside the wagon. The sugar filled man popped his head out and saw Robin chatting with Stahl on the opposite side of the wagon from where Vaike was still walking on. Gaius smiled and gave a quick nod of the head. "How are ya hanging there Bubbles?"

Robin turned to see Gaius' head sticking out of the wagon and let a smile show on his face. "Probably better than you are right now. Stahl was just telling me you've been stuck in the woman's wagon for almost the entire trip." The tactician joked as the two others let out a laugh. Gaius went from smiling to agitated again. The bandana wearing man threw himself back in the wagon to watch the bottles again very quickly.

Robin laughed again at the quick reaction and turned his attention to Stahl. "Do you think I said the wrong thing right there?" He asked as Stahl let out a laugh.

"Nah, I wouldn't worry about it. Gaius is just a little annoyed right now. I would be too if I was being forced to watch all the girls' stuff," The tired looking knight said as he let a yawn out and both Vaike and Robin began looking a bit worried. "I probably would be having the same attitude if I wasn't so tired. But hey, that's life right?" Stahl said with a tired look in his eyes.

Robin couldn't take it anymore. He quickly reached up and pulled back on the reins that were in Stahl's hands. Stahl quickly jerked forward and Gaius had his head and shoulders pop out as the sudden stop caught him by surprise. "Hey what's the deal Bubbles?!" Gaius screamed out in complete shock and fright.

Robin quickly jumped up onto the seat of the wagon and patted Stahl on the back. "You get in the back and take a nap there Stahl. I can take care of this for you for at least a little while. After what you did for me a few days ago I figure I should pay you back." Robin said with a strong smile on his face.

Stahl saw the look on Robin's face and knew he wouldn't be able to fight this one out. The green clad knight just nodded and gave Robin the reins to the horses. "Just watch the speed alright Robin, we can't go too fast with the cargo we have." He cautioned the tactician as he began turning and heading into the wagon. A few words were exchanged between him and Gaius but nothing was clear past the cloth to Robin.

Suddenly Robin felt the seat shift to his right and looked to see Vaike sitting right next to him. A booming grin showed on the warrior as he set his axe down next to him on the seat and gave a quick nudge to Robin. "You have no idea how to drive this thing, huh?" Vaike said with a hushed tone and a wink as the brown haired Shepherd ducked his head down.

Truth be told that was absolutely the case. Robin was always ahead of the group and walking side by side with Chrom and Sumia at times. Other occasions he would be chatting with a soldier who was going to be a focus of the battle plan. Driving a wagon was something he had never really done much of. While thinking of how to start the horses, suddenly the leather straps in his hands had been taken and were now in the hands of the shirtless warrior next to him.

"Don't you sweat it there buddy! Good ol' Teach has this one under control." Vaike said as suddenly with one quick whip of the reins the horses began their trot. However, the trot was a bit faster than what was needed.

The horses burst out of their stop and blazed right past many soldiers that had been walking past it. Dust picked up behind them and the wheels on the wagon began bouncing up and down as Vaike and Robin quickly began trying to pull back on the reins. Problem was that the straps had fallen out of Vaike's hands and were now moving in a similar fashion to the wheels beneath the four men, two in the seat and two in the wagon itself.

Gaius was holding down the perfume boxes as best he could. A few caps had fallen out of their spots and now as he was being splashed by the perfume, Gaius was yelling as loud as he could for the knight behind him to get up and help. Problem was he was already asleep somehow. Even with all the shaking and bouncing the fool was deep in a sleep. Shouldn't have been a surprise but with all the commotion Gaius would have thought he would have been awake and helping.

Robin and Vaike now had gathered control of the reins again but were just struggling to turn out of the way of other soldiers. Already they had nearly run over Sumia and Cynthia, both of which were looking out towards the image of Ylisstol showing itself over the horizon. The two men trying to take control of the wagon were not enjoying the sights so much.

As the turning became more drastic, Robin began losing his balance and nearly fell off of the seat before Vaike threw a hand out and grabbed the tactician by the collar of hood of his jacket and tried pulling him back onto the wagon seat. However, with all the weight of the wagon on the left, a sudden right turn spelled disaster for the wagon. With the hard turn and the two men flew off the wagon and watched as the caravan flipped onto its side and a large crashing sound was heard immediately. The two horses the wagon had been using ran back to the road and were quickly gathered by two soldiers.

Robin landed hard on his back and Vaike had rolled over twice, landing on his hip initially. The two quickly picked themselves up as other members of the Shepherds began running over to see the accident.

Vaike and Robin pushed the flap of the tent up and looked inside. Stahl had finally woken up, with a headache apparently as he rubbed the back of his head. Gaius didn't look hurt as much as ready to explode in rage. Robin and Vaike did their best not to laugh as they noticed that every single perfume bottle had crashed and all the contents had spilled onto his clothes, the clothes in the wagon and his face. There were tears coming from Gaius' eyes, mainly because of the fact some had spilled into them.

When Gaius saw the two looking into the wagon he grabbed a piece of clothing that didn't seem to be covered in the stuff and wiped his face. "You could drive the wagon huh? There was nothing to worry about huh?" Gaius said as he picked himself up trying to avoid the broken glass spread around the floor.

As the two men who were caught in the crash slowly walked out of the turmoil of glass and torn fabrics, two Shepherds walked up to assess the damage. Virion being one of them, with his son Brady beside him. The noble archer looking at the four with a worried look in his eyes.

"My my, what a catastrophe to say the least. Are all of you alright?" Virion asked as Brady began preparing his staff for any emergency healing. Stahl shook his head to drive the young priest away as Gaius threw a hand out as he continued to brush off the glass stuck on his pant leg.

The gray haired archer looked at the wreckage and then at Robin, who had a wide-eyed look about him. Needless to say the carnage was awful and Robin felt responsible. He took up the reins, and even though Vaike took them, he was still trusted with the wagon itself.

Virion gave a quick pat on the back and smiled. "Robin, there is no need for a look like that. The horses merely went wild on you and could hardly be contained. Anyone would have had that happen to them," He informed as Robin and Vaike gave quizzical looks to him. "Everyone knows that horses have a high fear of small rodents that run across their feet like that."

Suddenly everyone gave a puzzled look. Robin and Vaike didn't remember seeing a rat or anything that looked like a small rodent. Stahl and Gaius had never heard of this fear of horses. Then it became clear. Virion was giving them an excuse for the accident. He was looking out for the four of them. Just before they could thank him, more Shepherds arrived. This time lead by Chrom and followed by most of the women whose clothes had just been tarnished, Maribelle looking the most fumed.

"Are you all alright?! What happened here?" Chrom asked as Maribelle ran past the king of Ylisse and straight to the wreckage. The lady of high class suddenly looked like a small child frantically searching for a lost doll. She threw the tarp of the wagon away as she dove into the disaster that was mostly her and Lissa's clothing and perfumes.

Robin went from watching Maribelle act completely out of of her normal character to Chrom's also puzzled look. "Ugh...the horses got spooked by a rat or something that ran by their feet. Vaike and I tried to get control of the wagon but I lost my grip on the seat. At that point I think you can see what happened." Robin said as he pointed at the wreckage with a worried look on his face, hoping he sounded convincing using Virion's ruse.

Chrom's worried look turned to an amused grin. "Well I'm just glad none of you got hurt. Especially my dear brother-in-law. I'm not sure what my sister would do without her husband for the festival." Chrom joked as a sudden force of nature burst out of the wagon. Fear struck each man unlucky enough to be nearby.

Maribelle was steaming from her eyes as she carried a small crate with what remained of her perfumes under an arm. Each man lost their grins as nervous teeth chattering became loud and apparent from Robin, Stahl and even Maribelle's son Brady, who was now trying to calm his mother down. "Now ma, remember what you taught me. Nobility never shows agitation right?" The young and obviously uncomfortable man said as his mother blew right past him as she walked slowly towards Chrom. Each step would have crushed a small city with the amount of force used.

She shoved the crate into the chest of the king and began tightening her grip on her parasol. "Yes, how dreadfully worrying that Gaius would have been hurt in the accident. However, how do you expect your sister and I to even show our faces in Ylisstol without half of our supplies?! Now I expect to be fully reimbursed on all my lost dresses and scents before the festival begins," The woman said with a forked tongue appearing at times according to those who witnessed the event. "Now if you'll excuse me I have to inform the rest of the women of this horrible loss."

As the blonde tornado stomped her way back to the road, the men gathered themselves as they thanked Naga their souls hadn't been devoured. Brady leaned against his staff and placed a hand on his father's shoulder, which Virion patted as he retained his smile throughout the event. Virion had seen these sides of Maribelle before and was far from intimidated from this event.

Chrom looked down at the perfumes now in his hands as he let out a sigh. "Well I suppose we could just carry these to the city. We'll salvage what we can but I doubt that they'll be used again. Sometimes I think Maribelle is a bad influence on my sister." Chrom joked in a low tone of voice, hoping it wouldn't carry far enough for the woman in question to hear him.

The other men nodded and Chrom took his leave with the other soldiers that had joined him on his escort. Robin and Vaike then shared a collective sigh as the blonde haired axe wielder let out a laugh. "Gotta say Virion, that was a great call on your part. I thought you noble-types didn't like the whole lying bit?" He asked as he began walking towards the wagon to start picking up what they could and bring it back to the rest of the crew.

Virion let out an amused scoff as he wagged his finger in front of his face. "A noble of my degree never ruses without reason. I knew my dear Maribelle would not take to kindly to the crashing of her possessions so I had to find something that would calm her rage." He said as Brady began getting his legs back under him and nodded to the group.

"Yeah, pops does that a lot I notice. He tends to stretch the truth when he knows ma is about to go off on somebody," Brady said as he walked over to the wagon and began cleaning up what mess he could with his staff still in hand. "Be glad we chased after you guys when that wagon went wild."

Robin smiled at the two and gave a nod in thanks. "Well we appreciate it. Though I have to say, if that was you calming Maribelle down I'd really hate to see how she gets when she's really angry." Robin joked as he picked up more clothes and turned to see a concerned Virion. The joke lost it's humor as Robin realized he probably didn't really want to know. The tactician's war game partner obviously was not about to go into detail but it was clear it was not a pretty sight.

The group gathered what they could from the wagon and began walking back to the road. Virion and Brady parted ways with the four who carried clothing and other fancy things only nobles would be caught wearing. Stahl let out a yawn as he continued walking forward on the road with Vaike, Gaius and Robin. The group could see the outline of the capitol coming up, which gave them the strength to continue on the trudge.

* * *

Ylisstol. The center of Ylisse itself. Robin had only been in the city a few times but each was an absolute treat to see. The tall buildings and many shops were always in their brightest in the sun. Now with all the streamers and decorations spread around the city it was even better. Of course also seeing them from one of the windows of the royal palace was a nice touch.

Once the Shepherds had reached the city, Chrom offered a room to the couples that were there and a suite for Robin. Seeing him as the reason the war effort was going so well he figured it was right. Plus there was a heavy push from three Shepherds and his own daughter to make sure that Robin was taken care of. The king had noticed that his friend was more than a bit ragged as of late. So a suite in the royal palace seemed a fair thing that Robin had due.

The now relaxed and seemingly exhausted tactician took a step away from the window and threw himself on the bed he was given. The room was luxurious and a joy to be in. Robin could swear that the very air he was breathing had a higher class to it. Letting out a sigh he placed his hands behind his head, planning to take a small nap before joining his friends on the streets.

Granted they had just arrived, and right on time as well, the festivities were already in full swing. The decorations Robin had been admiring had been up for days now and the shops were preparing to gather good crowds with the best goods. And tonight was supposed to have some kind of big play that showed the actions of Marth and his fellow fighters. Robin wanted to see the play, but for now just sleep was all he wanted.

As his eyes began closing, Robin could swear that someone was calling his name. He just accounted it to chance and continued his journey to the land of dreams. Suddenly that journey was stopped abruptly as a familiar child like voice boomed through his now, for some odd reason, open door.

"Come on Robin! You need to help me and my niece go shopping! And no amount of complaining is gonna get you off of the hook." The princess of Ylisse shouted as Robin shot out of his bed and fell forward in a very comedic fashion. At least that's what Robin thought as Lissa went into a torrent of giggles and another deep laugh joined in.

Robin picked himself up and looked at his door frame to see Lissa standing there next to her husband Gaius and even Lucina behind her aunt with a blush and hand over her face. Robin gave an annoyed sigh as he began walking over to the group with an agitated look on his face. "Care to explain how you got into my _locked_ room?" The tactician asked, though he had an idea as to what happened.

Lissa, without breaking a beat, just pointed at her husband like a child trying to pass blame. Problem was this was warranted passing. "Gaius' handy work. Honestly, ever since I married him, getting things has become a lot easier." She joked as the thief in question raised an eyebrow.

"What, you just married me for my sticky fingers?" Gaius joked as he saw Lissa turn on her toes and flash that innocent grin and quick flutter of the eyes he had come to adore.

"No. I married you for your sweetness," The princess said as she gave him a quick peck on the cheek and the two shared a smile. Lissa then turned back to Robin and gave a pouting face. "Now are you going to get ready for a shopping spree or what?"

Robin gave a shocked look as he then turned to Gaius, begging him with his expression to get him off the hook. The sugar addict shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. "Sorry Robin, she got the truth out of me about the wagon business. Now we have to pay her back with a day at the shops. I gotta go to so you ain't alone." He said with a whisper, though Robin wasn't sure why. The two men then shared a tired sigh.

It was obvious that this was a fight Robin would never win. The young Ylissian royalty standing before him was going to be very difficult no matter what the problem was. She may have been a grown woman, but she still had a child's temper, and there was no way to beat it. Without even giving an answer the tactician went to pick up his boots and cloak. He could hear behind him the cheering of Lissa and the laughter of Lucina and Gaius.

Once he was finished Lissa began leading the group followed by Gaius and Lucina and Robin took up the tail end. Robin turned to the blue haired beauty next to him and felt like starting up a conversation. He figured they would be walking together for a while so it was best to break whatever silence there was going to be now. "So what all are you looking to get replaced from the accident there Lucina?" He asked as he scratched the back of his head nervously.

Lucina turned her head and blushed slightly. "Well, I was going to replace some perfume I lost in the crash. It was the only one I had and Aunt Lissa figured it was best to replace it now rather than wait until later. It is a very popular fragrance around this time apparently." She answered as the two continued following the couple in front of them.

"Oh really. Sorry about that whole mess. We didn't mean for it to go as badly as it did." Robin responded as he felt a pang of guilt take over him. Here he was wanting to just relax after he ruined a lot of stuff that the girls were looking forward to having for the festival. He came out of this worry though as a hand touched his shoulder.

Looking up he saw it was Lucina's hand and a smile was on her face. "You don't have to apologize. It was an obvious accident. I don't know why my aunt is so focused on getting you all to pay her back. You couldn't have seen that mouse from where you were." She said as the reason for Gaius' whisper became suddenly clear.

As the two continued talking behind him, Gaius flashed a grin to his wife next to him. "Gotta say that this was clever on your part there Princess. But what all are you intending to have happen on this little adventure?" The thief asked as the blonde royal gave a laugh. She looked up and flashed a smile.

Gaius raised an eyebrow and Lissa gave him a wink. "Let's just say I know the perfect place to go shopping for some girl time and for you boys to have a moment to yourselves. An aunt always has to keep her nieces in check after all," Lissa whispered as she turned her head forward. "Especially about matters of the heart." She said with a chuckle.

Gaius, not sure about what she meant, looked back at the two behind him and saw that they were talking, laughing and a flush was lightly covering Lucina's face. Suddenly it became clear and Gaius shook his head with a chuckle himself. "You can be pretty maniacal when you wanna be, you know that?" He asked as his wife gave him a playful shrug. The group walked out the front doors of the palace and towards the streets of Ylisstol, with the wheels of fate preparing to turn for two young people that were unaware of the potential adventure awaiting them.


End file.
